READING

READING T

ECHNIQUES

THREE TECHNIQUES OF READING

SkimmingScanningFocused Reading

1 .SKIMMINGSkimming refers to the process of reading only main ideas within a passage to get an overall impression of the content of a reading

selection .

HOW TO SKIM: Read the title. Read the introduction or the first

paragraph. Read the first sentence of every

other paragraph. Read any headings and sub-

headings. Notice any pictures, charts, or

graphs. Notice any italicized or boldface

words or phrases. Read the summary or last paragraph.

2 .SCANNINGScanning is a reading technique to be used when you want to find specific information quickly. In scanning you have a question in your mind and you read a passage only to find the answer, ignoring unrelated information.

HOW TO SCAN:

State the specific information you are looking for.Try to anticipate how the answer will appear and what clues you might use to help you locate the answer. For example, if you were looking for a certain date, you would quickly read the paragraph looking only for numbers.Use headings and any other aids that will help you identify which sections might contain the information you are looking for.Selectively read and skip through sections of the passage.

BOTH TECHNIQUESS

Both skimming and scanning generate different kinds of information and can thus be used when you have rather different purposes in mind. However, what they have in common is that they do help you to get an in-depth, more detailed understanding of the article as a whole.

3 .FOCUSED READING Focused reading – is more useful for this purpose. This is a slower method of reading as it takes the material bit by bit and allows time for active thinking, whereby you begin to process the information presented, and perhaps even jotting down a few notes or questions raised by the material. It enables you to follow the argument more closely and really get to grips with the key ideas and concepts as well as the evidence that is presented.

CONTINUEDFocused reading is therefore a more intensive approach than either skimming or scanning. As such, it is more fruitful to engage in short bursts of it, when your levels of concentration are high. Indeed, one useful method you might try involves combining the three techniques, perhaps scanning the text first and maybe even skimming for more detailed, focused information which you can mark for future use, before going on to re-read the piece in a more focused way later